We were in Manhattan, Kansas Saturday, opening for Rascal Flatts in what appeared to be the Cottonwood capital of the freaking world. The show took place in a valley that is lined - nay, infested - with cottonwood trees. Literally hundreds of them. The sheer volume of floating cotton floating in the breeze outside made it look like it was snowing - big, fluffy flakes that stuck to anything even remotely wet, that got into your eyes and mouth and all over the equipment. It was like Christmas day in 80-degree heat.

I miss Nashville and my friends here. Being away for such long stretches had made me realize how much I love Nashville and the people there, Gary Morgan and Thomas and Mike Muccilli and the various people that make up Mosaic. I miss the people I see at my favorite Starbucks down here - Heath, the barista, who recently went back to school, and Heather.

Yet at the same time, I keep glancing nervously at the tour schedule, dreading the day when this whole thing ends. It's been like a dream come true: finally getting out onto the road, doing lights for a living, hanging around people who understand the mysterious allure of the road, the pull of being behind a lighting console and having the ability to make them yell louder just by pushing a fader. It's addictive, in the best possible sense. Yet inevitably, the schedule thins out, blocks of days off start to pile up on the calendar and I must make plans to schedule that time at back at the Bandit shop. I am not looking forward to this. It's not that I dislike Bandit (It's about a million times better than my last job). It's that I don't want to stop touring. The road is fun.

As mentioned previously, I'm back in Nashville for a few days off before heading out to Norfolk, Nebraska for a show. My parents will be there, which should be fun, and after that we're going to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Oregon, to start with.

Two final notes, if you haven't checked out my artwork page yet, you should. I have several sketches that I haven't uploaded yet - it will be updated soon-ish. And I wished to point out this video from the insane production people at Hillsong Church. It's the opening of their 2008 Colour Conference. Wow.

Exit, stage left. Sparks